


spit it out

by spideywhiteys



Series: 365 Days of Naruto AUs [38]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Uzumaki Naruto, Bisexuality, Bullying, Coming Out, Gen, mentions of Bisexual Hatake Kakashi, minor blood, sakumo is the school nurse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29274774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spideywhiteys/pseuds/spideywhiteys
Summary: Naruto doesn't think there's anything wrong with him. Unfortunately, others do.
Relationships: Hatake Sakumo & Uzumaki Naruto
Series: 365 Days of Naruto AUs [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086938
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	spit it out

**Author's Note:**

> Day 38: High School AU / Sakumo + Naruto

The dawn is red; crimson staining a sunny mouth, the curve spiraling down, down, down. A scowl pulls taut over clenched teeth, a garish sight coated in spit-wet blood. There are bruises bursting under his flesh, capillaries broken and galaxies pounded bone-deep into tender, still growing muscle. Naruto spits, like he’d spat words just earlier, the same ones to earn him a split lip and a fresh shiner — raging. He rages and can only sit in silence lest he burst into some terrible, unrecognizable thing. He wants to flee, but his mother is a tornado and he gets it from her, she’d shriek words he doesn’t yet want to hear, doesn’t yet want to acknowledge when there’s too much  _ burning, burning, burning.  _

Naruto huddles with bruised knuckles, swollen and hot. There’s a tree behind the school, among many others, that rests on the outskirts just by the fence. A wide trunk, perfect for hiding behind, rough bark picked at by curious teens and carved into with the wishes of those who think themselves important. Naruto doesn’t know how important people are to the universe. It doesn’t seem to give a shit about them all, even though half the planet stares longingly up to the stars thinking their dreams will be granted on the whims of something otherworldly. 

He doesn’t like thinking so hard about this kind of thing either. He loves his life, most days. Struggles with anger on others; struggles with great, horrible things like hatred because he’s still human, he still hurts and hurts in return. 

Naruto sighs, pressing his hands to his bloody, throbbing face and wincing at the pain the pressure brings. All the pain in the world doesn’t distract him from the unhidden footsteps heading his way. A casual, loping stride, fallen leaves crunching underfoot. Naruto tilts his head up and feels the anger circling inside his rib cage like a beast. It simmers and bides its time, temperamental remnants clinging tight. Naruto is quick to agitate, a little harder to anger, and rage pops like a balloon shortly after; depending on the situation. 

He doesn’t like dealing with anger, but he is his mother’s son, and they are wild creatures with hungry eyes and smiles with too many teeth.

A smoky voice calls: “You should come to the nurse’s office.”

And Naruto feels the monster settle like a trained dog, the last vestiges of rage fading into bare annoyance. “Sakumo-sensei.”

Silver hair glints in an autumn sun, age in the corners of dark eyes and a softly smiling mouth. Sakumo halts some feet away, hands in his lab coat and horn-rimmed glasses tucked away in his breast pocket. He’s likely old enough to be Naruto’s a-little-too-young grandfather, but he’s always felt like the cool uncle. He only frowns when scolding, and only scolds when students are stupid and deserve it. Naruto’s been on the receiving end more than once, but it’s a soft kind of reprimand that makes him think of his father. 

Naruto is a teenager and teenagers never truly seem to trust adults — but he thinks he trusts Sakumo as well as anyone can trust a non-family member that doesn’t fit into any conventional category.

“It’s not that bad.” He replies after a moment, but he can’t even bring himself to smile and that’s perhaps the most telling hint of all.

Sakumo hums, and for a second he looks a bit younger, a bit too much like his son. “You sure about that? Your shirt’s not looking too good.”

A glance down informs Naruto that the man is correct. His white school shirt is painted with blotches of crimson, the liquid seeping into fabric without remorse. “Ah...whoops?”

He comes back to himself in bits and pieces, fixing those shadowy, angry parts of him until they return to bits of shimmering sun. 

“Thought you were done getting into fights, Naruto.”

He huffs, pressing a hand to his eyes again — forgetting about the bruise and wincing at the pressure once more. “I...didn’t mean to. I guess. I just got....angry.”

“Angry is a way to put it. I’ve got three boys in my nurse’s office and they don’t seem too happy.” Sakumo talks without an ounce of blame in his voice. Just states facts. Never prods or pushes or jumps right for the throat with sharp accusations of blame.

“Good.” Naruto spits again, a glob of stark crimson amongst dying green grass. He doesn’t care at all what those assholes feel. He hopes he never sees them again, or else that beast sleeping next to his heart will wake once more to bear its teeth. 

Sakumo sighs, his knees popping as he crouches down, still a few feet away like Naruto is that very beast. But there’s no fear on the old man’s face, just open features waiting patiently.

“Why’d you do it?”

Naruto shrugs his shoulders up to his ears on reflex. He’s too used to fights that end without his side of the story being told. Too used to not trusting adults to take his side until his parents are called and they force teachers into submission. People don’t trust Naruto because he’s a  _ troublemaker.  _ They use him as a scapegoat when things go wrong, or things are stolen or a prank is done. Sure, he pulls pranks, but he doesn’t pull all of them and he certainly doesn’t pull ones that might lead to hurting people.

But this is Sakumo, who always listens to both sides and takes his time deliberating. He doesn’t spill honeyed words or barbed wires. Just truth, as plain as a piece of paper. As obvious as the expectation of 6pm traffic. 

“They didn’t like that I’m…” He pauses. Deliberates himself, for once. But his honesty is what he holds closest and he’s not about to be anyone but himself. Where that leads him is the road he’s chosen. “They didn’t like that I like boys. Too. Boys and girls.”

Sakumo quietly registers these words, his eyes barely flickering. If he’s surprised he doesn’t show it, just tilts his head very carefully like Naruto hasn’t said anything monumental at all. There’s the faintest spark that only appears for a second, one Naruto thinks he might have imagined — a glint in dark eyes that rages as furiously as his own monster. 

“Well that’s not very nice of them.” The nurse says, grunting as he pushes himself back to a stand. He puts his hands back in his coat pockets rather nonchalantly. “I’ll have to give them a wonderfully in-depth talk about the nature of sexuality, and then call their parents and relay the same information, just so it sticks.”

Naruto snorts, unable to imagine such a thing yet somehow believing it entirely.

“Come back to the nurse’s office.” Sakumo doesn’t urge, but it’s a bit of one all the same. “Let's get you cleaned up. If those three are still there, I’ll deal with it.”

“You don’t mind?” Naruto asks, finding his voice before he can bring himself to stand. “That I’m…”

Sakumo looks down at him with a bewildered expression. “Why would I? My own son is exactly the same way. Even if he wasn’t, I wouldn’t feel any different. There’s nothing wrong with you, Naruto. Now come on, I’m sure your friends will be hearing about this event soon, and I’d like to get you treated before my office becomes a circus.”

Naruto pushes himself up to his feet, wavering only for one more moment. He watches Sakumo’s back as the man walks away, spine straight and head held high — confident that Naruto will follow. 

He does.

“Hey, hey, tell me more about Kakashi, ya know!”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow / Support me on [Tumblr!](https://spideyfoof.tumblr.com/)


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